Best Family Days Out in London

There’s eight weeks of summer coming up – but don’t be worried, we’ve rounded up the best family days out in London so you can pack your summer calendar with these fun family-friendly activities and ideas…

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Best Family Days Out in London

The Regent Street Summer Festival

Regent Street’s Summer Series is back for it’s seventh year this summer, this time for three months. It’s a local summer festival in the heart of the city where the streets will be car-free and visitors are invited to spend the day mooching along London’s iconic curved street, exploring the offerings of the restaurants and shops who’ll bring the activity outside and into the sunshine. On each day of the festival there’ll be a host of activities to keep the family occupied, from wellness events to arts and crafts and alfresco food and drink offerings. The Regent Street Summer Festival runs on four Sundays: 14^th July, 21^st July, 18^th August and 15^th September. Regentstreetonline.com

Guided Boat Trip: Embankment to Brunel Museum

Board a boat and travel along the Thames under the Brunel bridges and over the Brunel tunnel. Along the way there’ll be time for landmark-spotting as you drift past the Houses of Parliament and Tower of London. Afterwards, spend the rest of the day walking along the Embankment and stopping for a spot of tea at The Corinthia Hotel. Daily at 10:30am, meet at Embankment Station. Tickets cost £10, no booking required. Brunel-museum.org.uk

Smithfield Street Party: A Beastly Adventure

On the Sunday of the upcoming August Bank Holiday, head to the street party around Smithfield Market, curated by the Museum of London. The theme is animals and the party will involve the attendees getting to know the wonderful worlds of all animals, past and present. Expect music, dance, performances, workshops and more. 25 August. Culturemile.london

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo

In the middle of the huge Battersea Park on the South side of the Thames you’ll find a zoo, specifically for kids. There’s a play area and keepers who are great at explaining animal stories to kids. Plus, if you go on August 15th, there’s a day of activities dedicated to Monkeys; head there for story time in the morning, followed by puppet and badge making. Batterseaparkzoo.co.uk

Ice Skating at Alexandra Palace

If the sun gets too hot, take the kids inside for a few hours of ice skating at Alexandra Palace in North London. Adults can relax in the Ice Cafe by the rink, kids can get professional lessons if they show a real promise and fancy a new summer activity, and the whole family can get on the ice for spot of family fun. Alexandrapalace.com

V&A Museum of Childhood

A museum that specialises in objects by and for children? Perfect. Head to Bethnal Green for a fun and educational museum visit, then book a street art tour of the East End to maximise the culture aspect of the day out! Vam.ac.uk

Regents Park

Regents Park is always packed in the summer. Take the kids for a boat ride on the Serpentine via a rental peddlo, bring a picnic and lounge around on the huge green spaces, and see a play at the Open Air Theatre; A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs until July 27, and Evita runs from August 2 – 21 September. Royalparks.org.uk

Hampton Court Palace

Epitomising educational fun, Hampton Court Palace is one of two remaining Tudor Palaces – a spectacular sprawl of red-brick buildings made all the more beautiful for its setting in the bucolic gardens beside the River Thames. The palace was home to Thomas Wolsey, the British cardinal famous for denying King Henry VIII’s annulment to Katherine of Aragon; it’s also where Jane Seymour gave birth to Henry’s son, King Edward VI. Brilliantly kid-friendly, there’s a wealth of royal re-enactments, a Tudor-themed playground and of course, the magnificent maze. hrp.org.uk

DISCOVER MORE FAMILY FUN

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